The Italian version of the Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS): A study on a group of nurses

Introduction: The risk for nurses to be exposed to workaholism is widely demonstrated in the relevant international literature; however, this does not seem to be paid sufficient study and analysis in Italy. The Italian adaptation of the Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS) comprises the working excessively (WE) and working compulsively (WC) scales. Method: A group of 485 Italian nurses, balanced in terms of gender and seniority, compiled the DUWAS questionnaire. The Rasch model was used to analyse the retrieved data, which helped to identify nurses at risk of workaholism. Results: The WE and WC scales within the DUWAS show low internal consistency, some points of contact, and appear to relate to each other. About 18% of the group of subjects shows a workaholic profile, and approximately 29% are at risk of becoming workaholic. Conclusions: This study contributes to improve the validation of the Italian version of the DUWAS, and helps to assess workaholism in nursing, a crucial healthcare profession.